General Nelson A. Miles,
pictured above, was born August 8, 1839
in Westminister, Massachusetts. He
received his military instruction from a
former French officer. He received a
commission as a lieutenant in 1861 with
the 22nd Massachusetts Infantry. Nelson
later served in Gen. O.O. Howard's staff.
He participated in many major battles of
the Civil War and was breveted brigadier
general in 1867. He received the Medal of
Honor for his bravery at
Chancellorsville.
In 1868 he married Mary Hoyt
Sherman, a niece of Gen. William T.
Sherman and of Senator John Sherman of
Ohio. He commanded the District of North
Carolina during Reconstruction and then
spent 1869 to 1894 on the western
frontier fighting the Indian Wars.
He was commanding general of
the U.S. Army from 1890 to 1903. He
conducted the Puerto Rico campaign in
1898. He was advanced to a three star
general in 1900 and retired in 1903. He
died May 25, 1925 in Washington, D.C. and
is interred at Arlington Cemetery.
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